Elders, youth groups and stakeholders from Niger Delta have urged President Muhammadu Buhari and Minister of Niger Delta Affairs, Mr. Umana O. Umana, to immediately suspend or sack the Interim Administrator of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), Mr. Effiong Akwa, over alleged plan to use a third party to file frivolous lawsuits against the Federal Government to enable him to stay in office until May 2023.

Akwa, whose interim tenure had long expired, has been operating the coffers of the NDDC without any recent presidential tenure extension, and his status as an interim administrator is unknown to the NDDC Act.

The Niger Delta stakeholders, through its Secretary-General, Chief Anthony Loveday, in a statement via electronic mail, accused Akwa of using a third party to file lawsuits and injunctions in the Federal High Court, Abuja Judicial Division, to restrain the Federal Government, a ploy to keep him in office until 2023.

The suit was filed against the President, the Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Minister of Niger Delta Affairs, Ministry of Niger Delta Affairs and Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Niger Delta Affairs.

“Mr. Akwa, through his allies, has filed a case and they plan to serve all defendants, including the Presidency, on Monday, August 22, 2022, or latest on Tuesday, August 23, 2022. They intend to use the court injunctions to tie down the hands of the President and the Minister of Niger Delta to frustrate them into resolving to allow Akwa as interim administrator until May 2023.

“They have some high profile allies in the Ministry of Justice that will direct lawyers in the ministry to stall and sabotage the cases by employing delay tactics and adjournments until May 2023. However, during this period of judicial intervention, no substantive NDDC board can be appointed and inaugurated by President Muhammadu Buhari until the courts are done with their cases because the status quo must be maintained.

“This is devastating for the suffering people in the Niger Delta region. These politicians are only thinking of their personal interests and how to remain in office by any means necessary. They are not thinking about the people. In fact, Akwa and his allies in the Ministry of Justice might file more court cases in other federal high courts to completely tie down the hands of the minister to enable him (Akwa) to remain in office until May 2023,” the statement reads. (The Guardian)

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